DVD Playback "Black Bars" are Purple

[DigitalWarrior]

When watching a widescreen version of a DVD on my 4:3 aspect ratio TV, I expect there to be "Black Bars" at the top and bottom of the screen. However, when I watch the DVD using Sage the "Black Bars" are more of a dark purple.

I've enabled the sage.properties value that allows me to change the background color, but it already was and still is set to black.

I'm using the Nvidia DVD Decoder with audio passthrough to S/PDIF. This same decoder doesn't have this problem if I use Windows Media Player, but I'd like to use Sage. A while ago I saw a similar post in the forums, but I can't find that thread now. Anyone ever find a solution?

[soulprops77]

I'm having a similar problem. I'm also using the NVidia decoder and when I play DVDs or imported videos (16x9) I get about an inch of dark purple on before the lower black bar. . .

Anyone else having such an issue?

[reggie14]

I'm having the same problem with purple bars using the Nvidia decoder. In particular, I see it when I'm using an aspect ratio that doesn't fit the monitor and/or the source material.

Did anyone find a solution or workaround for this?

[Lucas]

I used to have this problem with any decoder on my ATI9600XT video card since SageTV4 I think. Sagetv ver 2 did not have this for sure.

I have just switched to an Nvidia 7600GS card with Purevideo decoders and now the bars are black.

Are you by any chance running an ATI card?

[stanger89]

Sounds like you don't have the TV calibrated properly for video levels and you're seeing the video-black bars stored on the DVD.

[IncredibleHat]

No one mentioend VMR9 or Overlay? When I used overlay (for the brief two seconds of that junk lol) My bars were a dark purple. VMR9 they are black for me. Just a thought. Also, for pillarboxed shows, overlay was a deep dark red as opposed to black.

[blade]

Originally Posted by IncredibleHat

No one mentioend VMR9 or Overlay? When I used overlay (for the brief two seconds of that junk lol) My bars were a dark purple. VMR9 they are black for me. Just a thought. Also, for pillarboxed shows, overlay was a deep dark red as opposed to black.

I've seen purple ones as well when using overlay with the Nvidia decoder. I've also used overlay and they were black so I'm not sure what settings caused mine to turn purple.

[reggie14]

Like you Blade, I'm using overlay. If I switch to VMR9 they switch back to black, but VMR9 doesn't play well with dual monitors.

Stranger- I don't think I'm seeing the black bars on the DVD. It doesn't just happen with DVDs. For instance, if I'm watching TV full screen on a 4:3 monitor and I switch the aspect ratio to 16:9 (which I realize is dumb, its just an example), I see black bars on the top and bottom of the screen, but purple bars on the left and right. So, presumably its the overlay renderer causing these bars.

Lucas- I have a 6600GT video card.

[blade]

Originally Posted by reggie14

Like you Blade, I'm using overlay.

Actually I use VMR9, but have noticed it back when I used overlay.

Have you tried changing the aspect ratio in the nvidia decoder? Seems like I was playing around with the ratios when I first noticed it. Could have been a coincidence though.

[reggie14]

Blade-

I hadn't done anything with the nvidia decoder aspect ratio settings before, but I played around with them a bit just now. It has the same effect as changing the aspect ratio settings in Sage- the purple bars still appear.

So, you certainly would have noticed the purple bars while playing with the settings. If you were watching 4:3 material and you switched the aspect ratio to 16:9, you'd see the purple bars on the sides.